In a major scientific advancement, India on Thursday unveiled its first-ever indigenous vaccine against H1N1 influenza virus. Created by Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila from an H1N1 strain given by WHO, the single-shot vaccine called Vaxiflu-S will cost a maximum of Rs 350.

Cadila's CMD Pankaj Patel was the first to take the vaccine followed by Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. H1N1 flu has killed over 1,500 in India.

Calling the vaccine a "remarkable feat in service of the nation", Azad said, "Till date, India didn't have its own influenza vaccine. H1N1 swine flu pandemic made us realise that we can't depend on importing influenza vaccines taking India's sheer vastness and population into consideration. Scientists therefore created the country's very own vaccine against influenza."